Strengthening activities of Men’s Crisis Centers/Men’s organisations and competencies of their staff in the Baltic countries
2023/06/14
Men’s emotional health is an important aspect of overall well-being. Taking action to improve men’s mental health is especially important because this issue was vastly overlooked for a very long time. Existing gender norms and typical societal expectations for women and men constitute part of the problem as well.
The Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Lithuania and Ministry of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania (further referred as Ministry) initiated two year‘s project “ Strengthening activities of Men’s Crisis Centers/Men’s organisations and competencies of their staff in the Baltic countries” by establishing closer cooperation with men’s organisations in the Nordic countries for good practice and knowledge sharing.
The project was approved as regionally important at the meeting of Nordic Baltic Senior Officials on Gender Equality in December 2021.
The Ministry has a role of administrating the project, responsible for the contents (in line with national policy of gender equality) and usage of funds.
The implementation of the project is planned for 1 May 2022 – 1 July 2023.
Background information: responding to men’s emotional needs
In Lithuania, there are 9 Men’s Crisis Centers (further – MCCs) which render services in 18 municipalities. MCCs are nongovernmental organizations that works with violent men and men who face social and psychological problems (eg. divorce, relationship problems, depression, bereavement, loss of jobs etc.) of different social backgrounds, including ex-prisoners.
Services that they provide include: provision of legal, social and psychological consultations for men, mediation service (by telephone, online and in person); conduction of crisis management programs; facilitation of various support/therapy/educational groups and/or activities; provision of assistance to victims of violence; thematic seminars organization; advocating the importance of men’s psychological and emotional health and spread of awareness about the topic through various means (articles in media, social campaigns etc.). Services include assistance of psychologists, lawyers, various consultants, addiction counselors, social workers, and trained volunteers.
Due to wide range of activities and complexity of problems that each individual (who seeks for support) is facing, MCCs cooperates with many different institutions like: municipalities Probation Service, Police, Public health centers, Educational institutions and centers, Correctional facilities, Social service centers, Prosecutor’s Office, State Service for the Protection of the Rights of the Child and Adoption and others.
Objectives of the project
- To exchange examples of good practices between Baltic and Nordic countries participating in the project in order to develop MCC’s and/or Men’s NGOs activities and strengthen competences of their staff.
- To exchange examples of good practices on development of services for victims of domestic violence and perpetrators.
- To establish a network of Nordic Baltic partners involved in the project dedicated to further communication as well as exchange of good practices in the future.
- To organize a conference for Nordic-Baltic representatives of responsible ministries, MCCs’ and other men’s NGOs staff working on men’s issues and developing services for boys, young and adult men, also migrant men.
Activities
- Study visits of the representatives from Baltic MCCs, as well as national authorities for gender equality policy (4 per country) to the Nordic countries (Finland and Sweden).
- Seminars, training sessions (in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia) co-organised with NCM Offices in the Baltic countries.
- Nordic-Baltic conference “Men’s Emotional Health: Towards Support and Well-Being”on 8th June 2023 in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Conference “Men’s Emotional Health: Towards Support and Well-Being”
The conference “Men’s Emotional Health: Towards Support and Well-Being” aims to address the crucial topic of men’s emotional health and the need to break down stigmas associated with it, fostering safe spaces for men to openly discuss their problems without fear of judgment. Experts, researchers, policymakers, and representatives of men’s organizations from various backgrounds will gather to exchange examples of good practices and explore effective strategies to respond to men’s emotional needs.
Watch conference recording in English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hly9FZuatVc
Project partners
Lithuania: representatives of three men’s organisations: Gentys, Men’s Hotline at Klaipeda Psychological and Social Centre, Kaunas County Men’s Crisis Centre
Estonia: NGO “Peaasjad”, NGO “Meeste Garaaž”, NGO “Vaiter”, support line renouncing violence at the Estonian Social Insurance Board under the Ministry of Social Affairs
Latvia: Foundation “Fathers / Tēvi”, NGO “Mācību centrs MKB”, Ministry of Welfare
Finland: “Miessakit” association, NGO “Family Federation of Finland: Poikien puhelin” (Boys Line is a helpline telephone and web service for boys and young men), NGO “MIELI Mental Health Finland”, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
Sweden: Ministry of Employment, Division for Gender Equality, MÄN, Manscentrum, Mansjouren, Rikskriscentrum
Norway: MannsForum, Reform – ressurssenter for menn
Project coordinators:
Milda Janeikaitė
Adviser, Ministry of Social Security and Labour
Equal Opportunities, Equality Between Women and Men Group
Tel. +370 660 42045
E-mail: Milda.Janeikaite@socmin.lt
Vida Gintautaitė
Adviser, Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Lithuania
Tel. +370 68527738
E-mail: vida@norden.lt
